


Unlocking the Way

by radkoko



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 21:58:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3994408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radkoko/pseuds/radkoko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik comes home to his neighbor having a little trouble with his door. He helps the man, not expecting to see him again, but Erik can't help himself from wanting to learn more about his neighbor Charles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unlocking the Way

Grunts of protest reached Erik's ears as soon as he reached the top of the stairs. Growing louder with each step towards his apartment, he noticed his neighbor wrestling to open his door. It probably didn't help that the poor boy had a stack of textbooks in one hand as he wrenched the knob with the other and tried to shove the door open with his shoulder.

 

Erik pulled out his keys, ready to disappear into his apartment, when he heard the growl from his neighbor, and the subsequent sigh of frustration. Erik dropped his head against his door. He wasn't the type to help people, but just the same there was a part of him that couldn't ignore someone so obviously. Stepping away from his door, Erik shoved his keys in his pocket and walked over to the frustrated boy.

 

"Need some help?" Erik ask motioning to the door.

 

"That would be a great help, thank you," his neighbor replied with a light british accent. The boy, well man actually despite what Erik had assumed, turned to him with bright eyes that would have conveyed the thanks even without his words. 

 

Erik stepped past him and grabbed the doorknob. Placing his other hand higher on the door he felt for any metal keeping the door shut. Giving an experimental push, he felt the bolt of the lock not quite in it's place. He grinned at the easy fix, leaning away from the door before giving it a rougher push. As his shoulder connected with the door he slid the bolt out of place and swung the door free.

 

"You managed it!" he heard the excited cry from his neighbor, "How did you get it open?" he asked somewhere between confused and inquisitive.

 

Erik shrugged his shoulders, "Just a little muscle needed." While he had never been ashamed of his powers, Erik was not fond of letting everyone in the world know when first meeting them.

 

He heard the mirthful laugh coming from the man next to him, a laugh that seemed like it could lighten any mood. "Well again, thank you…" he trailed off looking at Erik as if waiting for him to say something. It took him a few moments to realize that although they were neighbors there hand never been any formal introductions.

 

"Ohh, my name is Erik. And it was no problem." 

 

"Charles," the man said holding out his unoccupied hand to shake.

 

"Well I should let you go, you seem busy," Erik noted the textbooks.

 

Charles looked down to the books in his arm, giving another smile before responding, "Yes, of course. Never a free moment. Have a wonderful evening, Erik. I hope to see you around."

 

"Me too," Erik replied automatically, while turning towards his own apartment. He wrestled a hand through his pocket to pull out his keys, giving only a second glance towards Charles. Their eyes met for a brief moment, Erik watching as Charles tore himself away to squirrel himself into his apartment. Erik wanted to laugh off Charles' reaction, but couldn't do more than smile.

 

Entering his apartment, Erik tossed his keys aside and locked the door with his powers. With a smile still on his lips he thought about his blue eyed neighbor. Sure Erik usually avoided making connections with his neighbors, but he knew he'd never seen Charles around before. What type of life did he lead? With the pile of books he doubted the man was the type that kept late hours with girls, but that smile could argue otherwise. A man far too pleased when he got his way.

 

Erik sighed, what was wrong with him. He'd never wanted to know so much about someone before, why was Charles different?

 

* * *

 

From that night on Erik was far too conscious of when his neighbor came and left from his apartment. His hours sporadic, probably delving deep into what ever he studied, getting lost for hours. That thought seemed to fit the image of Charles that floated around in Erik's head.

 

Once in a while he noticed the lock sticking again in the poor man's door. If Erik focused he was quite good at timing his assistance with Charles' and each shoulder shoved against the door. Maybe Erik should take the liberty of telling the apartment manager that Charles needed a new lock, but that was probably too forward. How would he even go about explaining how he knew about the lock constantly sticking. Well maybe he'd see Charles in the hall and make mention of it. That wouldn't be too forward of him, right?

 

"Ugg," Erik felt frustrated with himself, he was spending far too much effort on a neighbor he'd met only briefly once.

 

He shook his head and got ready for bed, he still had work to go to in the morning. Erik was quick to fall asleep, trying to ignore the thoughts of soft brown hair, and bright blue eyes.

 

* * *

 

_May I trouble you, friend?_

Erik heard the words in his head, blinking his eyes open to try and figure out where the voice had come from.

 

  
_Sorry to wake you,_ Erik heard the voice again, certain this time that it sounded far too similar to Charles' voice, _It seems the lock is stuck, might I trouble you for your assistance again._  


 

The words woke Erik far more than the idea of someone speaking in his head. It seemed that Charles was aware that Erik had been helping with his lock from time to time. 

 

  
_Erik?_ The question filtered into his head, as he tried to focus, flicking the lock in his neighbor's door.

 

He felt the door open and close, lock firmly back in place before Erik tried to settle down again for the night, but sleep did not come as easily as before. With all his attempts at being casual, Charles still had figured out the assistance he'd been giving. Hell with the telepathy that the man had Charles probably found out the very first time he'd helped. Now Erik felt foolish. Foolish for trying to hide something about himself from Charles.

 

And here Erik was again think far too deeply about his neighbor that he had only met once…well maybe twice now? Talking in his head surely counted as meeting a second time.

 

"Not again," he groaned to himself, turning over his bed to settle in for the night.

 

* * *

 

Erik was sure that he didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

 

Sure he'd never expected he was the only one with powers in the world, he'd even met a few people that had their own unique talents, but the idea that he lived so close to one. One that was always on his mind and a telepath at that.

 

"Shit," Erik cursed under his breath. Had Charles overheard his thoughts? The constant questions about his neighbor running through his head.

 

Glancing at the clock, Erik realized he had to get ready now or he'd be late.

 

He rushed out of his apartment looking back towards Charles' door catching a glimpse of his neighbor as the door shut abruptly. Taking a second look Erik's mind started asking questions again, wondering why Charles had been in the hallway, but knew he couldn't take too much effort in reasoning it out now.

 

* * *

 

After reaching the top of the stairs Erik turned towards his door noticing the figure leaning against the wall waiting for him. He stilled in his steps, not sure whether to continue forward or go back towards the stairs. No, he couldn't run away. That would make him an even bigger fool than he already felt around Charles.

 

Taking another step towards his door, he watched Charles get up from his position against the wall.

 

"Good evening," Charles statement was barely loud enough for him to hear.

 

Erik nodded back, not really sure what Charles wanted to hear in response.

 

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice barely louder 

 

Erik looked over at Charles. The man lacked the confidence and presence from their last meeting, looking very worn down.

 

Flicking the lock out of place with a wave of his hand, Erik opened his door and motioned for Charles to enter.

 

After they both entered the apartment he closed the door and locked it on habit. Erik followed Charles to the kitchen, where he'd waited for him.

 

"Can I get you something to drink?" Erik questioned, trying to be polite to his guest, only receiving a sullen head shake from Charles in response. Deciding to grab himself a glass of water, Erik turned away from the other man.

 

"I'm sorry." He barely heard the words muttered under Charles breath. He turned around quickly to see Charles standing there with a slight shake to his hands.

 

"For what?" Erik asked, not following the same thought process Charles seemed to be on.

 

"I don't read your thoughts, I promise!" His voice was growing louder, but it came with a side effect of Charles' loose lips. "Well, it's not that I've never read them, just that sometimes they're quite loud. It's hard to not overhear at times. Similar to catching onto a conversation at a coffee shop. But not that I was trying to hear anything, I just… Shit..." Charles trailed off clenching his eyes shut and burying his head in his hands.

 

"Woah, slow down." Erik wasn't sure where to start, other than ensuring Charles left in better straights than he was now. 

 

"I'm not mad at you," Erik said. While it was skirting the truth, he had realized those were the words Charles needed to hear.

 

He watched as Charles lifted his head and looked at him with his eyes on the edge of tears. _You aren't?_ He heard the voice in his head, barely a whisper, wondering if Charles had let the words slip.

 

"Not mad, I promise." Erik assured him, watching Charles relax just a little, "but-" he cut himself off realizing that his 'but' had tensed Charles back up.

 

"But?" Charles asked, worry evident in his voice.

 

"Well..." Erik wasn't sure how to ask without shaming himself further, "how much did you overhear? I need to know how embarrassed I should feel right now."

 

Erik was surprised when he heard the laugh escape Charles, the man seeming just as surprised by it.

 

"Don't laugh at me," Erik growled. He knew the growl lacked its usual power, but he didn't have it in him to be too angry when the man's mood had changed for the better.

 

"I'm sorry," Charles said still fighting through the laugh, unfazed by Erik's anger.

 

Erik looked at him and couldn't help it when he broke out in laughter to match.

 

They stood there for a few minutes waiting to get the laughter under control. Each time they attempted to stop, they looked at each other and it started all over again.

 

Finally Charles was able to stop himself long enough to get a few words out, "You shouldn't be embarrassed by anything...well maybe just the part where you hid your power and said that the door needed a little muscle." With the memory Erik groaned at himself, and Charles gave a few more huffs of laughter.

 

"So you did know the whole time," it came out as more of a statement than a question. Erik decided that he wanted to walk away and hide himself under his covers, but that would really mean much with a telepath in his apartment.

 

Charles hesitated with his response, which only added to his embarrassment. "I picked up on them, but you seemed intent on not saying anything so I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

 

Erik dropped his head to the island counter in front of him, ignoring the pain that came with the impact.

 

"Look," Charles started waiting until Erik turned his head to look at him. "I already told the landlord about the lock this morning, so you won't have to worry about it anymore." Erik wanted to voice protest, but the words got caught in his throat.

 

Charles eyebrows raised waiting for him to speak, but he closed his eyes and resigned.

 

"I had simply wanted to come and tell you that I do not read your thoughts." Erik lifted his head from the counter wanting to ask how Charles would even know without reading his thoughts, but was stilled by Charles hand, that told him to wait. "Unfortunately that was one of the thoughts that you sort of yelled at me this morning. You seemed very upset, and I couldn't leave you thinking that I was listening in."

 

They stood silent for a moment while Erik realized he must have been very upset this morning to be yelling it in his head.

 

"Anyhow, I will be off now. I appreciate your help through the last few weeks, and I shouldn't be troubling you further."

 

Charles turned to leave, unlocking the door to head out of Erik's apartment. When he looked back to Erik, Erik felt a split second decision run through him and locked the door again.

 

"You seem to have a unique effect on locks," Erik laughed out.

 

Charles stared at him, bottom lip between his teeth waiting for Erik to explain.

 

"I... Umm," Erik cursed himself for not being able to just spit out the words he still had caught in his throat.

 

Fine, if his voice wouldn't work he'd find another way.

 

Erik walked over to Charles, propping himself on the door as he leaned over the slightly shorter man. Looking Charles in the eye, he tried to think something very loudly, in hopes Charles would hear. _You can call on me for help anytime._  


 

Seeing the smile grace Charles face, Erik closed the distance between them and gave Charles a chaste kiss.

 

Pulling away, Erik could feel the satisfied smirk creep out. He loved the look of Charles eyes closed as he held onto the lingering feeling of their kiss. Charles opened his eyes, "Well, I guess I'll see you again?" Charles asked nibbling on his lip, as if he wanted more.

 

"I sure hope so," Erik said, his smirk growing into a smile, and leaned over for another kiss. Charles came close to meet him for a deeper kiss than the first.

 

When they pulled apart, Charles happy face fell to more of a resigned one.

 

"As much as I am enjoying this, I really must go to get some work done..." He gave Erik a soft smile that begged an apology from him.

 

Erik sighed not wanting to let Charles leave now that he'd gotten the chance to talk with him. "Well you best be on your way before I distract you all night," he said stepping away from Charles and the door.

 

Unlocking the door, Charles opened it hesitating. He took a glance back at Erik, "Have a good night."

 

"Night," Erik replied watching Charles disappear behind the door. Once the door shut Erik locked it falling back into his evening routine.

 

Before he could get far, Erik heard a groan and a bang against something down the hall.

 

In his head Erik heard Charles voice whisper to him, _Okay, one last time?_  


**Author's Note:**

> This went way longer and fluffier than I planned, but you know sometimes stories just write themselves.
> 
> First X-Men story I've written, hopefully I didn't tarnish their characters too much...


End file.
